SLAY PAIRS WITH ROSE (The Kelly's Deli Cozy Murder Mysteries Book 3) by Sophie Brent (books to read as a couple txt) 📗

“Reckless? It seems that I am having a terrible influence on you.”

He lifted up his bread and cheese to his mouth and was just about to bite into it when he stopped, looked into her eyes, tilted his head in an exact copy of how she looked and whispered, “Now you have to tell me what you are thinking!”

“Um,” Erin replied, put her knife and fork back on her plate and focused on moving them an inch apart then back together, then apart again before she spoke.

“Okay. I was thinking that I might be single and capable of making my own decisions, but I am not used to allowing my stubborn instincts to get the better of me.” She shrugged her shoulders at him. “Perhaps that’s why I am not ready to set a firm date for opening the bistro. Not yet. Not until I know precisely what it will take to get there.”

“Well, here’s an idea. Lucien will be back in a couple of weeks and is determined to celebrate his seventy ninth birthday in style as a newly retired man of leisure. His favourite Italian restaurant is closed, and this cottage is too small to cope with all of the guests he plans to invite. Which creates a wonderful opportunity for the amazing, delightful new addition to the Kingsmede high street. Kelly’s Bistro.”

He instantly raised both hands, palms forward at the panic on Erin’s face.

“I could try and stall him. But I would need to do it now and it won’t be easy. On the other hand, you could use this opportunity to announce the change in ownership and get it over with as painlessly as possible. The clock has already started ticking, but there isn’t much time to sort out the details.”

“How long do you think I can keep Lucien waiting for my decision?” Erin turned and looked back at Matt. “Or can we come up with some devious plan for him to stay in Italy a little longer?”

‘That decision has to be yours. Do you want to be the new foodie hotspot in the area? You could do it. You have the passion for the food and the technical ability to go right to the top. Your face on the social media posts and media adverts. Maybe posters on the side of local buses. People would be queuing around the block to book a table. It would be the opportunity of a lifetime. And it is all yours for the taking. Erin Kelly could be the next Gordon Ramsey. Chef superstar.”

Erin threw back her head and laughed out loud, the sound of her voice echoing around the low-ceilinged cottage, her shoulders rocking as she slapped her hand down onto the table. She had a broad grin on her face and had to dive into a pocket to find a tissue to dry her eyes.

“Oh, you don’t know how flattered I am with that one,” she choked out. “Oh, wait until I tell Prisha. She’ll need clean pants at the idea of full-sized posters of me frightening away the bistro customers.”

Erin looked at Matt and realised that he wasn’t joining in the fun. “Sorry. And thanks. I needed a good laugh today. You are quite right. That is not a scenario I had thought about. I don’t mind answering questions about the food and showing people how to cook. I have been doing that all of my life.”

Erin leaned across the table and grinned at Matt as she spoke in a croaky voice. “I know that I do good work, and sometimes, just sometimes, very fine work. Inspired even. But I am not cut out to be a social media star. The last thing I want is an army of stylists trying to mould me into some slick model image with perfect teeth and fake hair. But me? Work in progress.”

Then she picked up a chunk of cheese and popped it into her mouth.

He smiled as she chewed. “I take your point. But the fact is, you’re going to be running a deli and a bistro at the same time. My suggestion? Start working on exactly what it would take to open the bistro as an ongoing business, then get back to Lucien as soon as your outline plan is ready.” Matt halted and moved one hand to gesture towards Erin. “At least then you’ll know the scope of any issues.”

She nodded and focused on what was left of the lunch. “That makes sense. Now, can I offer you anything else to eat?”

Matt smiled but shook his head. “Thank you, but no. It was all delicious, but I’ve had more than enough, and there’s a lot to do. In fact, I’d better get back to the shop. Something tells me that the new tenant will be moving in very soon.”

“Will you be going back to London?” Erin said, looking into the serious face of the handsome man standing in front of her as she moved to open the door for him, and suddenly not wanting him to move out of the hot August sunshine and this snug little cottage.

Matt glanced outside at the stone-walled patio. “Not until the work is done. It shouldn’t take more than a day or two, so I’ll be around. Until then, thanks again for lunch. And enjoy your evening,” Matt skipped lightly down the footpath and onto the lane that ran down in front of the old cottages.

“You’re welcome. Any time,” she called after him. Pathetic.

Erin tossed her head from side to side on her pillow and groaned. Her alarm clock was ringing but it felt like she had only just crawled into bed after working late into the cool of the night. She scrabbled around on her bedside cabinet with one hand until she found the clock and pressed the snooze button down hard.

Then pressed it